Week 23: Teaching provides me a blessing, in that I learn at the same time, for giving always pays the giver hidden delights.(Compound-complex, S/Vt/IO/DO)

First of all, thank you Tina Gaines for teaching my class today so that I could get away with my husband for the week! We're in Charleston, SC, where azaleas are in bloom!

Today we covered compound-complex sentences again, this time using the S/Vt/IO/DO pattern. We also talked about the last of the verbals--gerunds. Finally, we wrapped up with an overview of verb mood, focusing on the subjunctive mood.

Compound-Complex

The recipe for a compound-complex sentence is
independent + coordinating conjunction + independent + subordinate clause.
Practice, practice, practice!

Gerunds

These verbals are always in the present participle verb form and are always used as a noun.  When thinking about the definition of a noun (person, place, thing, activity or idea) gerunds usually fall into the activity part.

Here are some examples:

Swimming is fun.
I like biking.

Verb Mood, Subjunctive

Verbs are either indicative, imperative, or subjunctive.  Imperative give commands.  Indicative are everything else, except for those that are subjunctive.  So, what are subjunctive?  They are the sentences that express a wish or hope.

I wish I had made my bed like Mom said.
I wish I were taller so I could dunk the ball.
If only a maid were to magically appear and clean my house, I would be able to relax.

One temptation with the subjunctive mood sentence is to use the verb was, but please remember to use were.

Wrong: If I was green, I could pass for a Martian.
Right: If I were green, I could pass for a Martian.


Looking forward to being with you for our final class next week!  Thanks again, Tina, for covering for me!

Week 22: I am a tutor, who is also a mother, and I feel happy about it! (Cpd-cx, S/Vl/PN, S/Vl/PA)a

Class Overview

Today in class, we focused on compound-complex sentences, this time with the S/Vl/PA and S/Vl/PN pattern focus.  We also tackled verbals and learned the second type, participles.  Finally, we enjoyed some part of speech review by doing three Mad Libs!

Compound-Complex Sentences

We started with a three or four word S/Vl/PA, then added a coordinating conjunction and an S/Vl/PN.  Voila! a compound sentence.  From there, I asked the students what I needed to add to make the sentence complex.  A subordinating conjunction, of course!  They are really sharp.  They got this without any trouble.  We made a few compound-complex sentences then went on, but at home you may want to use the task sheet to take it further.

Verbals-Participles

Participles are the second type of verbal that we have covered.  Last week we worked on infinitives.  Next week we will talk about gerunds.  The important thing to remember about verbals is that they look like verbs (are in verb form) but are used as a different part of speech.  Identifying their use in a sentence is key to recognizing them.

We have seen participles before when working through verb anatomy.  The form used for verb anatomy is infinitive, present, past, present participle, past participle.  So, play would be to play, play(s), played, playing, played.  Notice those last two forms--present and past participle.  These are the verbs + -ing or -ed.  These can be used as adjectives as well as verbs.

Here they are as verbs.
The dog was sleeping.
The child was jumping.
The mother was delighted.

Here they are as adjectives (verbal form)
The sleeping dog jumped when I shouted.
The jumping child was distracted.
The delighted mother received blooming flowers.

Here is one that mixes both.
The boys were swimming in a rushing river.

When a participle is used in verbal form it will always be an adjective and will be diagrammed under its antecedent (the word it modifies) on a line that curves.

Personal Note

We're in our last stretch.  I can't believe that the year is so close to being done.  I love the families that I've gotten to know through weekly interaction.  You all bless me!

Tina, thanks for helping so much yesterday!  Also, thank you to all of you who helped set up my classroom and were gracious about combining classes so I could get home to my sick baby.

See you next week!

Week 21: A compound sentence, which is also complex, is compound-complex, and the students nailed it!

Class Overview:

This week we covered compound-complex sentences and introduced one of the verbals--infinitives.

Compound-Complex Sentences

We began by having students come up with a two word sentence in the S/Vi pattern.  To that, they added a coordinating conjunction.  Then we added another S/Vi.  (Compound)  But we didn't stop there.  We next added a subordinate clause to one of the S/Vi sentences.  (Compound-complex).  We worked through this a few times, using the S/Vt/Do pattern.  This stretched students a bit more, having to come up with transitive verbs.  Then we used the Task Sheet and "tasked" one of the sentences.

One of the classes came up with this fun compound-complex sentence,
Apple, who was not a fruit, ate juicy oranges, yet she was not a cannibal!

(Thank you Jessica and Ryan for your well-timed humor).

Of course, when they got to the end of task 5, the class had contributed quite a lot of dressing up and decorating and the sentence read,
Apple, who was very much not a delicious fruit, slowly ate juicy oranges, yet she was not a blood-thirsty cannibal!

Verbals (Infinitive)

We tackled infinitives as best we could.  The guide considers this an advanced task that doesn't need to be taught if the class is young in understanding.  But we took the challenge and found ourselves squarely matched.  The point I wanted the kids to see is that to + a verb, that base form of our verb anatomy, is not used as a verb in a sentence.  Please have them memorize the definition of an infinitive: An infinitive is to + a verb used as a noun, adjective, or adverb.

Infinitives used as subject nouns and direct objects are straightforward and fairly easy to identify. It's those pesky adjectives and adverbs that are rather difficult to place.

Take a look at chart Q (Verbals) to see how an infinitive is diagrammed.  It goes on stilts!  How fun!


Well, we're winding down for the year, a final 5 paragraph assignment in IEW, Memory Master proofing, and compound-complex sentences.  Keep going and finish strong!  You have so much to celebrate once you cross that finish line.